Bartley et al reported factors associated with the withdrawal of life support for an adult with burn injury. The authors are from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center.
Patient selection: adult burn patient requiring life support (mechanical ventilation, pressor support)
Frequency of withdrawal of life support: 2.8% in study group
Predictors for withdrawal of life support:
(1) female sex (odds ratio 2.0)
(2) significant comorbidities (higher Charlson comorbidity index, OR 1.3)
(3) greater percent TBSA (OR 1.08)
(4) inhalation injury (OR 1.3 in Table 3, 2.5 in abstract and page 325)
Overall age is listed as a risk factor, yet an age >= 65 had a p value of 0.27).
Withdrawal of life support is more likely when multiple predictors are present.